Hi everyone! It’s Jenni from I Spy DIY, back with a new series of DIY projects geared toward the holidays. This week, I’m showing you how to make a holiday-inspired pillow from an AEO sweater plus a bonus pillow, just for fun. They’re perfect for lazy afternoon naps (and also for a little holiday inspiration year round).

Hi everyone! It’s Jenni from I Spy DIY, back with a new series of DIY projects geared for the holiday season. This week, I put together a fun DIY project for you to do while you are cozied up by the fire after Thanksgiving dinner. It’s the perfect project to create for your friends (or yourself) this holiday season.

Hi everyone! It’s Jenni from I Spy DIY, back with a new series of DIY projects geared for the holiday season. My first project? I’m showing you how to take your favorite jeggings to the next level with vegan leather and tartan flannel patch details. Read on for my step-by-step guide that will make your jeggings the envy of every holiday party.

Denim is a garment that’s all about individuality. Every day that we wear them, they change: telling the story about what we do in them and who we are. It’s why people are so fiercely committed to their favorite pair, wearing them until they practically disintegrate on their bodies. For people who want a truly unique look but don’t want to wait years and years, denim distressing is something you can do at home with just a few simple tools and tricks.

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Know Your Starting Material:
The type of denim you start with will ultimately affect how it wears over time. Denim can be anywhere from 6 ounces (per square yard) in weight up to 20+ ounces. The heavier the denim, the more resilient it will be to wear and tear. It’s important to know where your denim falls in the spectrum, since the weight and amount of distressing you do will greatly affect how long your pair of jeans will last.

Tools of the Trade:
Because how denim wears is such a part of our love affair with blue jeans, brands purposely fade and age their denim to give it a vintage, worn look. For your distressing project, all you need are some items found around the house.

Sandpaper (preferably 220 grit or higher): For light distressing and breaking down the denim fabric.Single-edge razor blade: For ‘scraping’ away surface threads and cutting seams.Scissors: For full-on hole making.Block of wood or deck of cards: As a backing to ensure an even surface and that you only distress one layer at a time.Bleach: Only for the bold. Make sure to place cardboard under the affected surface to avoid bleeding.

Know Your Natural Wear:
When distressing denim, it’s important to work horizontally across the fabric, since that will break down the ‘warp’ threads and leave the ‘weft’ (vertical threads) intact. Distress the appropriate areas for a look that’s authentic for you.

The Knees: Work horizontally with light sandpaper to preserve the weft fibers if you don’t want a full-on hole. Or go at it with scissors for a blown-out rock ‘n roll look.Back Pockets: To imitate ‘wallet wear’, take a deck of cards or block of wood and place it in the pocket before sanding.Upper Thighs and Backs of Knees: This is where ‘whiskering’ occurs because of how the denim folds and creases. To re-create this look, you’ll have to lightly sand the jeans while wearing them to ensure the right look.Side Seams: This is an area where ‘less is more’, because they’re a key structural component of jeans. Lightly sandpaper side seam from the knee up for an authentic look, but be careful not to go too far or your jeans will fall apart on you.

Washing:
Though many people may not think about it, how you wash your denim can affect how it looks in a big way. Ultimately, a rule of thumb for increasing the life of your jeans is to wash them once a month or less.
To lock in the color of your denim, add one cup of white vinegar and a quarter cup of salt to the wash and follow the wash label instructions.

Drying Your Denim:
Since it’s made from cotton, how you dry your denim can greatly affect how it will fit you over multiple washes.

Outdoor Drying: This is a general no-no, since exposure to the sun will weaken the denim fibers and also ‘bleach’ your jeans over time.Air-Drying: When air-drying, lay the jeans flat. Since denim gets quite heavy when wet, hanging the jeans will result in stretching, ruining the fit.On-Body Drying: Purist swear by wearing your denim wet and letting it dry on your body, claiming that it’s the only way to get truly form-fitting jeans.Machine Drying: While this is okay for pre-shrunk denim, higher-end raw denim should never see the inside of a dryer, since it’s prone to shrinking up to 10%.

Avoiding the Wash:
If you’re going to go hardcore and avoid washing your jeans for months on end, it’s important to give them a break every now and then. Though the concept of a ‘freezer’ wash – putting your jeans in the freezer to kill odor-causing bacteria – is popular, scientists have proven that it doesn’t work. The best option? For every few days you wear them, let them hang in a well-ventilated closet for a day to allow odor-causing elements to disperse.

No Matter What, It’s Going to Take Time:
With all denim distressing, the old adage ‘less is more’ is worth noting. Even though you may want blown-out holes or intense shredding on your jeans, those things will occur through natural wear; all you want to do is get the process started. Go too far with your distressing and the denim won’t last. The best elements that go into making a pair of jeans uniquely ‘you’ come with time and patience.

Hi everyone! It’s Jenni from I Spy DIY. I’m back with the fifth part of my series of DIY projects all around denim this Back to School season. This project is studded jeans which is one of the coolest trends for fall. Don’t just stop at jeans – you can stud shorts, canvas sneakers, denim jackets and more!

What you need:Jeans
Flatback studs in four sizes
Tape Measure
E6000
Paint brush

What to do:

Step One: Measure and mark equal distances between where you would like each stud to be placed on your jeans.Step Two: Put glue on the back of each stud with the paint brush, then place on the jeans. Start with the largest gems and work down to the smallest.Step Three: Create pyramids down the seam of your jeans, decreasing the amount of gems as you reach the top.Step Four: Let dry. Hand wash. Done!

Have you made an awesome DIY project with your favorite American Eagle Outfitters pieces? Show us with #AEOSTYLE on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram for the chance to see your project on our AE.com Style Gallery or our blog! Be sure to tag @ispydiy so I can see your project, too!

Hi everyone! It’s Jenni from I Spy DIY. I’m back with the third part of my series of DIY projects all around denim this Back to School season. This project is super distressed denim, which I did with a pair of shorts but you can do with your favorite denim as well.

Have you made an awesome DIY project with your favorite American Eagle Outfitters piece? Show us with #AEOSTYLE on Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram for the chance to see your project on our AE.com Style Gallery or our blog! Be sure to tag @ispydiy so I see your project, too!